Sealed closure cap

ABSTRACT

The sealed closure cap applies specially to containers or bottles which contain carbonated beverages, and has a central neck ( 6 ) intented to be introduced into container mouth ( 2 ), and an external enveloppe provided with retention means ( 8, 20 ) in counterforms of the external surface of the bottle neck, with additional locking means ( 18, 18′ ) which ensure the closing position. The cap incorporates an overcap ( 3, 3′ ) carrying the seal ring ( 4, 4′ ) which surrounds axial fins ( 7, 8, 20 ) of the main body of the cap ( 1, 1′ ), and can adopt a lower position or nesting position with respect to the cap ( 1 ) itself in order to lock the retention means ( 8, 20 ) to the external part of the container ( 2, 22 ). During the unsealing operation and opening of the cap, the overcap ( 3, 3′ ) can be displaced without being detached, in an axial path limited by stops ( 12, 17 ), appropriately guided and by means of a threading provided on the complementary surfaces of both components. The opening and closing can be done repeatedly with great easy.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

As expressed in the title of this specification, the present inventionconsists of an airtight stopper and as such provides a series ofrelevant and advantageous characteristics with regard to those thatpresently exist for the same purpose and which are of the same type.

This stopper is especially applicable to all types of carbonatedbeverages (champagne, sparkling wines, beer, carbonated drinks, etc.),having the purpose, aside from ensuring perfect closing that preventsaccidental opening of the stopper by an accumulation of overpressureinside the container or vessel that closes, that the container caneasily be closed again for subsequent use, until the contained liquid isconsumed, without losing the gas, that is to say, without the gaseouscontent dissipating from the container.

In the specific case of champagne and sparkling wine, contained inbottles that are normally closed by a cork stopper (very costly), uponthe stopper being replaced by the one that the invention proposes,effectiveness and greater economy are likewise achieved.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Utility model no. 9,602,251 claimed a stopper of this type, which had aninside tubular wall for insertion in the mouth of the bottle orcontainer, and another outside covering that was placed around the neckof the container, having some through windows through which respectiveteeth of some radial tongues that could articulate in their connectingline with the top part of the outside covering itself, entered. Oncethese teeth that passed through the cited windows, they became housedunder the ring-shaped projection conventionally provided for on theoutside of the neck of the bottle or container, maintaining theretaining position by means of a ring that moved axially in order toremain overlying the tongues, preventing the teeth from coming out oftheir housing.

Spanish utility model no. 9,500,853 contemplates a ring-shaped seal witha central tubular rod that seals the mouth of the bottle and whose wallsare provided with circular ribs, to provide greater airtightness. In thetop part it has a ring-shaped flange from which descend some wings thatare place around the mouth of the bottle until the first recess wherethe stoppers are of another type normally fasten by different processes.This body of the stopper is completed with another top one thatconstitutes a ring that is connected by means of some tearable points,which break when the ring is pushed in the packaging operation to remainfitted blocking the descending wings of the bottom body, this airtightclosing position remaining until it is not released again upon beingmoved in the opposite direction, or broken.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,456,143, 5,314,084 and 5,522,518 also refer to stoppersand closing systems that reflect the prior art related to the patent ofinvention applied for over which the latter provides outstandingadvantages.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In broad outline, the improved stopper that constitutes the object ofthe invention, presents as a special characteristic, the inclusion of anindependent top cap that is connected to the rest of the stopper in thebottling stage, this cap in turn supporting the sealing ring. In thecoupling position, coinciding with its bottommost location with regardto the bottle, once the stopper is closing the neck of the bottle orcontainer, this cap keeps the retaining means of the stopper itselfblocked. The cap includes a discoidal closing surface, from the bottomof which originates the cylindrical wall or neck that is inserted insidethe container to close its mouth, there being parallel to thiscylindrical surface some tongues which in their inside part support theteeth which are to remain retained in the ring-shaped recess of the neckof the bottle or container. Precisely due to the presence of thecontained gas, it is necessary that such lugs are kept blocked in orderto prevent the accidental discharge of the stopper, which is achievedupon placing the cap in the correct position.

The discoidal sealing surface of the stopper has at the top a tubularportion that has an outside ring-shaped projection in order toconstitute the retaining means of the cap in the uppermost position ofthe same, the cap being axially movable from a bottom closing andsealing position of the peripheral tongues, up to another top positionthat permits removal of the stopper, or the opening of the bottle orcontainer.

The cap has in the center a threaded axial projection for connectionthereof in the threaded inside of the top tubular portion of the stopperitself. In a position coaxial to this threaded projection, there areother axial tongues whose ends finish in a spear tip, in a similar waythat the retaining tongues have in the ring-shaped recess of the bottleneck, naturally emerging from the bottom of said cap. These tongues areduly guided in a ring-shaped part that forms part of the stopper itself,placed in the top part of the same and that keeps them in an axialposition, preventing their deviation. These spear tipped projectionswill remain located between the discoidal surface of the stopper itselfand the ring-shaped projection of the top tubular portion of the same,determining the distance at which these cited elements are located, theaxial path of the cap.

The approximation of the cap so that its ring-shaped flap surrounds theneck of the container or bottle in order to ensure the sealing thereof,in a closing operation subsequent to the opening operation, is achievedonce the container or bottle is closed, first with a slight axialmovement and then by screwing. The same thing happens when opening thebottle or container, in the initial breaking of the seal and thedifferent times when the bottle is opened until the contained liquid isconsumed. Naturally in the latter opening operations the sealing ring isdetached or broken and the ring remains on the neck or is thrown away.

The ring-shaped part that keeps the tongues of the cap together,preventing them from coming off the ring-shaped tooth of the top tubularportion of the stopper itself, is connected to the rest of the stopperby easily breakable portions, this breaking taking place in the initialassembly of the stopper, in the bottling factory. This ring-shaped partis formed in the injection molding process itself of the stopper itselfand advantageously the easily breakable ribs or portions emerge from theedge of the tooth or ring-shaped projection of the outside of the toptubular portion or neck of the stopper itself, these ribs breaking whensealing itself takes place upon axially introducing the cap.

Forward and backward movement of the cap with regard to the main body ofthe stopper, which happens by means of screwing, can also be achievedmore effectively upon providing that the retaining tongues are formed bymeans of axial cuts in the outside covering of the main body, whoseoutside periphery is fitted with a thread that connects with the oneexisting on the inside edge of the cap.

In the last case referred to the sealing ring remains connected to thecap where the threaded area ends and the inviolability is ensured due tothe fact that it remains retained by its bottom edge on the neck itselfof the bottom or container.

In order to provide a better understanding of the features of theinvention and forming an integral part of this specification, somesheets of drawings, in whose figures the following has been representedin an illustrative and non-restrictive manner, are attached hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded section view of the two component parts of thestopper, object of the invention.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are respective sequential views of the connectionbetween both component parts of the same stopper of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is the subsequent assembly position of the two component parts ofthe stopper.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6, corresponding to theposition of the cap that allows removal of the stopper from thecontainer or bottle, once the sealing ring has been broken.

FIG. 8 is a section view that shows in an exploded manner the twocomponent parts of the airtight seal, object of the invention, alsoshowing in an exploded manner a portion of the neck of the bottle orcontainer containing the carbonated beverage.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal raised section view of the same stopper of FIG.8, now coupled to the bottle and with the guarantee seal that ensuresthe inviolability of the contents.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, once the cap has been unscrewed inorder to proceed to break the seal and subsequently open the stopper byaxial traction of the assembly, this position in which the airtightclosing of the container being able to take place again.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Making reference to the numbering used in the figures, we can see howthe airtight stopper, which the invention proposes, just as it is moreespecially shown in FIG. 1, includes a part that materializes thestopper itself (1) that fits on the neck (2) of the bottle or container,and the independent part materialized by the cap (3) supporting thesealing ring (4).

The stopper (1) is comprised by the discoidal surface (5) from whichdescends coaxially the cylindrical neck (6) that fits inside the mouthof the bottle or container (2). On the periphery of this discoidalsurface (5) there are axial lugs (7) and (8) distributed in the wayshown in FIG. 5. The axial lugs (8) have an inside projection (9) thatfits in the outside ring-shaped recess of the neck of the bottle orcontainer (2), as one can clearly see in FIG. 1.

Above the discoidal surface (5) of the stopper itself (1), the tubularportion (10) is provided with a bottom thread (11) and an outsidering-shaped projection (12) with stop functions for the movement of thecap (3) as we will see hereinafter. In the top part of the tubularportion (10) there is the ring-shaped part (13) connected to the rest ofthe stopper by the breakable ribs (14).

On its part, the cap (3) has the threaded axial projection (15) toconnect the thread (11) of the tubular portion (10) of the stopperitself, also having some axial lugs (16) provided on their free end witha spear tip (17). The enveloping cylindrical wall is referred to asnumber (18) and on its free edge there is the sealing ring (4) connectedby the breakable ribs (19).

With this arrangement, in the bottling factory the initial sealing ofthe container or bottle (2) is proceeded with by placing the stopperitself (1) as is seen in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, the cap (3) is assembledas shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6. One can see in FIG. 3 how the speartipped ends (17) of the axial lugs (16) of the cap (3) abut against thesloped bevel edge of the ring-shaped projection (12) of the tubularportion (10) of the stopper itself (1), springing elastically in orderto remain behind it as one can see in FIG. 4. The axial tongues (16)cannot be radially separated because it is prevented by the ring-shapedpart (13) that remains placed between them and the covering (18) of thecap. In the initial assembly of the cap (3), the tearable ribs (14) ofthis ring-shaped part (13) break, and the same moves ending upcontacting with the discoidal surface (5) of the stopper itself (1),when the cap is totally assembled, as indicated in FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6 one can also see how the sealing ring (4) of the cap (3)remains retained by the axial lugs (7) of the stopper (1), thecomplementary threaded areas of the tubular portion (10) and of theaxial projection (15) also being interconnected. The outside covering(18) of the cap (3) firmly surrounds the tongues (7) and (8) of thestopper itself (1), forcing the inside projections (9) of the axialtongues (8) to remain in the inside of the ring-shaped recess of thebottle or container (2), not being able to come off although thepressure rises in the inside of the bottle.

In these conditions shown in FIG. 6, when the bottle or container (2) isopened, an operation that is done by unscrewing the cap (3), first ofall the axial ribs (19) of the sealing ring (4) break and then the cap(3) rises until the spear tipped projections (17) of the axial tongues(16) of the same, abut against the ring-shaped projection (12) of thetubular portion (10) of the stopper itself (1), in the highest point ofits path, which coincides with the end of the thread. Upon the retainingtongues (8) remaining released, one can proceed with the totalseparation of the stopper from the bottle or container (2). Thus one canproceed to open and close the container repeatedly given that, althoughthe sealing ring (4) has been broken, once the cap (3) is screwed backcompletely, a position similar to FIG. 6 is reached inasmuch as the lugs(8) are covered by the covering (18), preventing the stopper from beingable to accidentally come off.

Making special reference to FIGS. 8 to 10, we can see a secondembodiment of the structure of the airtight stopper, where thereferences that designate the common modified elements are accompaniedby the suffix “′” (prime). The outside covering of the main body (1′) ofthe stopper, coaxial to the cylindrical neck (6) sealing the contents ofthe bottle has a plurality of axial cuts to form the retaining tongues(20) or tongues identical to each other and that have the insideprojection (21) that is housed in the ring-shaped recess (22) of theoutside of the neck of the bottle (2).

Reference (13′) designates the ring-shaped part that groups the axialtongues (16) of the cap, in the assembled condition of the assembly.

The cap (3′) has the side wall (18′) and a top wall (23) or bottom ofthe same. The sealing ring is referred to in this case as (4′) and it isconnected to the edge of the side wall (18′) by means of some axialbreakable ribs that define the frangible line (24). The cylindrical neck(15′) that emerges from the bottom (23) is smooth and fitstelescopically in the tubular portion (10′) of the main body (1), whichcan be smooth although in this illustrated embodiment it has ahelicoidal ridge to optimize guiding.

The cap (3′) has inside thread (25) with various ridges and that connectwith the thread existing on the outside of all the retaining tongues(20) of the main body (1′), this thread being referred to as number(26). When the unscrewing finishes, the cap can idle, althoughovercoming a certain resistance.

With this arrangement, in the packaging factory the container or bottle(2) is initially closed with the stopper itself or the main body (1), or(1′), so that the cylindrical neck (6) seals the neck of the bottle (2),then assembling the cap (3), or (3′), so that the assembly adopts theposition shown in FIG. 9, taking place in this axial movement: thepulling of the ring-shaped part (13), or (13′) by breaking the axialribs (14) upon the tongues (16) of the cap (3, 3′) impinging on them, orelse, by the pressure exerted by the edge of the small partitions (27)existing between them and the side wall of the cap (3′), upon pressingon the top edge of said ring-shaped part (13, 13′); the location of thethreaded portion (25) of the cap (3′) on the outside thread (26) of theretaining tongues (20); and the correct location of the sealing ring(4′) with regard to the profile of the neck of the bottle. As one cansee in FIG. 9, the tongues (16) of the cap (3′) have surpassed thering-shaped rib (12) of the tubular portion (10) of the main body (1′)and are situated in the inside of the ring-shaped part (13′). In thissame axial movement, the cylindrical neck (15′) of the inside of the cap(3′) is inserted tightly inside the top tubular portion (10′) of themain body (1′).

The stopper assembly hermetically and securely closes the mouth of thecontainer or bottle (2), given that the bottom edge of the cap (3, 3′)hides and blocks the retaining tongues (20) (or axial lugs (8) providedwith the projection (9) of the embodiment corresponding to FIGS. 1 to7), preventing removal of the stopper.

When the seal of the container is broken, that is to say, when thestopper is opened for the first time, upon unscrewing the cap the axialribs of the sealing ring (4′) break and this ring remains resting on theneck of the container or bottle (2), as one can see in FIG. 10. Theunscrewing takes place until the inside projections (17) of the tongues(16) of the cap (3′) knock against the ring-shaped projection (12) ofthe tubular portion (10′) of the main body (1′), this position whichcorresponds with the one shown in FIG. 10 and very similar to the oneshown in FIG. 7, although in the latter case detachment of the sealingring (4) takes place upon remaining retained in the other tongues (7)that are inserted between the retainers (8). The two component parts ofthe stopper cannot be totally separated because the tongues (16) aredeprived of angular movement towards the outside due to the existence ofthe ring-shaped part (13, 13′) that blocks them in this direction andtherefore the ring-shaped dentation (12) cannot be surpassed.

The separation of the stopper upon opening the bottle, is produced byaxial traction since the retaining tongues (20), or (8), can openangularly towards the outside so that their projections (21) come out ofthe ring-shaped recess (22) of the neck (2), task which is facilitatedby the sloped arrangement of the top or inside part of said projections.

If the sparkling contents of the bottle (2) has not been consumed in thesame position in which the stopper assembly has been removed, the bottleis closed by axial pressure until the position of FIG. 10 is occupiedagain. Then the screwing on of the cap up to the stop is then proceededwith and thus the retaining tongues (20) are blocked, thus preventingaccidental opening thereof, as if the seal on the bottle had not beenbroken for the first time, these operations being possible as many timesas necessary until the entire liquid content has been consumed, withoutreducing the proposed characteristics of airtightness and secureclosing.

As one can see in FIG. 9, the sealing ring (4′) before the seal isbroken, occupies a position that ensures Inviolability due to the factthat it remains retained by its bottom edge on the neck (2) and when thecap (3′) is unscrewed, the axial ribs that comprise the frangible line(24) unavoidably broken. The effectiveness of the closing is carried outdue to the close fitting and interconnection the broadest part of thestopper, between the cap and the retaining tongues (20) that remainpressed and blocked against the neck of the bottle (2). Undesiredlateral movement and above all a fraudulent operation of trying toseparate the stopper assembly from the container are prevented, due tothe above mentioned close fitting, as well as to the penetration of thesealing neck (6) into the inside of the neck, and due to the telescopicfitting in the top part of the stopper, between the cap (3′) and themain body or stopper itself (1′), upon the respective telescopic parts(10′) and (15′) sliding tightly, which is also contributed to by thesliding fit of the top tongues (16) between the ring-shaped part (13′)and the cylindrical portion (10′), as one can infer upon observing thisFIG. 9 which we are considering.

The movement of the cap (3′) with regard to the stopper itself (1′) iscarried out as it has been indicated above by screwing or unscrewing thecap, which takes place simply by turning a fourth of a turn, since thethread system, as shown in FIG. 8, has in this case multiple ridges.

What is claimed is:
 1. An airtight stopper for containers and bottles,comprising: a stopper portion and a cap, said cap portion adapted forarrangement on said stopper portion, wherein said stopper portioncomprises: a central neck adapted for insertion in a bottle; an outsidecovering having a lower surface attached to an upper surface of thecentral neck, said outside covering being adapted to remain external tothe bottle when the central neck is inserted in the bottle; said outsidecovering includes retaining means adapted for retaining said centralneck in the bottle by contacting an external surface of the bottle; anda tubular portion attached to an upper surface of said outside covering,said tubular portion being arranged in an axial direction of saidcentral neck, and includes an outside ring-shaped stopping projection;and a detachable ring-shaped part attached to an upper portion of thetubular portion above the outside ring-shaped projection; and whereinsaid cap comprises: a sealing ring means comprising a sealing ringarranged at a lower end of said cap so as to be disposed below a lowerend of said retaining means to initially seal said cap to said stopperportion; blocking means for blocking movement of said retaining meansaway from the external surface of the bottle; axial tongues having speartips at a lower end so that said spear tips are guided by saiddetachable ring-shaped part for contact with said outside ring-shapedstopping portion, said spear tips and said outside ring-shaped stoppingprojection provide limited movement of said cap in an axial path foropening and closing of said airtight stopper after said sealing ring hasbeen broken, and wherein the ring-shaped part forms part of the stopper,and is initially connected to the edge of the ring-shaped projection ofthe tubular portion by breakable rib means which detach in the assemblyof the cap in a bottling operation, so that said ring shaped partsurrounds the axial tongues and is housed in a ring-shaped space formedbetween the tongues and a cylindrical wall of the cap.
 2. The deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the cap has a threaded axial projectionfor connection inside of a threaded interior of the tubular portion of amain body of the airtight stopper.
 3. The device according to claim 1,wherein said retaining means comprises retaining tongues and wherein theinside edge of the cap comprises a thread that connects with an existingthread on an outside of the retaining tongues of said retaining meansthat emerge from a main body of the airtight stopper.
 4. The deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the axial path of the cap is guided duringa forward and backward movement by threads of the tubular portion thatemerges from an upper part of the stopper portion and said cap includesa top neck portion that emerges from a bottom of the cap and fitstelescopically with the tubular portion.
 5. The device according toclaim 3, wherein said thread has several ridges for blocking andreleasing positions of the retaining tongues with turns of a fourth of aturn.
 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the axial path of thecap is guided during a forward and backward movement by thread of thetubular portion that emerges from an upper part of the stopper portionand said cap includes a top neck portion that emerges from a bottom ofthe cap and fits telescopically with the tubular portion.
 7. An airtightstopper for containers and bottles, comprising: a stopper portion and acap, said cap portion adapted for arrangement on said stopper portion,wherein said stopper portion comprises: a central neck adapted forinsertion in a bottle; an outside covering having a lower surfaceattached to an upper surface of the central neck, said outside coveringbeing adapted to remain external to the bottle when the central neck isinserted in the bottle; said outside covering includes retaining meansadapted for retaining said central neck in the bottle by contacting anexternal surface of the bottle; and a tubular portion attached to anupper surface of said outside covering, said tubular portion beingarranged in an axial direction of said central neck, and includes anoutside ring-shaped stopping projection; and a detachable ring-shapedpart attached to an upper portion of the tubular portion above theoutside ring-shaped projection; and wherein said cap comprises: asealing ring means comprising a sealing ring arranged at a lower end ofsaid cap so as to be disposed below a lower end of said retaining meansto initially seal said cap to said stopper portion; blocking means forblocking movement of said retaining means away from the external surfaceof the bottle; axial tongues having spear tips at a lower end so thatsaid spear tips are guided by said detachable ring-shaped part forcontact with said outside ring-shaped stopping portion, said spear tipsand said outside ring-shaped stopping projection provide limitedmovement of said cap in an axial path for opening and closing of saidairtight stopper after said sealing ring has been broken, and whereinthe cap has a threaded axial projection for connection inside of athreaded interior of the tubular portion of a main body of the airtightstopper.
 8. An airtight stopper for containers and bottles, comprising:a stopper portion and a cap, said cap portion adapted for arrangement onsaid stopper portion, wherein said stopper portion comprises: a centralneck adapted for insertion in a bottle; an outside covering having alower surface attached to an upper surface of the central neck, saidoutside covering being adapted to remain external to the bottle when thecentral neck is inserted in the bottle; said outside covering includesretaining means comprising retaining tongues adapted for retaining saidcentral neck in the bottle by contacting an external surface of thebottle; and a tubular portion attached to an upper surface of saidoutside covering, said tubular portion being arranged in an axialdirection of said central neck, and includes an outside ring-shapedstopping projection; and a detachable ring-shaped part attached to anupper portion of the tubular portion above the outside ring-shapedprojection; and wherein said cap comprises: a sealing ring meanscomprising a sealing ring arranged at a lower end of said cap so as tobe disposed below a lower end of said retaining means to initially sealsaid cap to said stopper portion; blocking means for blocking movementof said retaining means away from the external surface of the bottle;axial tongues having spear tips at a lower end so that said spear tipsare guided by said detachable ring-shaped part for contact with saidoutside ring-shaped stopping portion, said spear tips and said outsidering-shaped stopping projection provide limited movement of said cap inan axial path for opening and closing of said airtight stopper aftersaid sealing ring has been broken, and wherein the inside edge of thecap comprises a thread that connects with an existing thread on anoutside of the retaining tongues of said retaining means that emergefrom a main body of the airtight stopper.
 9. The device according toclaim 8, wherein said thread has several ridges for blocking andreleasing positions of the retaining tongues with turns of a fourth of aturn.
 10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the axial path of thecap is guided during a forward and backward movement by thread of thetubular portion that emerges from an upper part of the stopper portionand said cap includes a top neck portion that emerges from a bottom ofthe cap and fits telescopically with the tubular portion.
 11. The deviceaccording to claim 8 wherein the axial path of the cap is guided duringa forward and backward movement by threads of the tubular portion thatemerges from an upper part of the stopper portion and said cap includesa top neck portion that emerges from a bottom of the cap and fitstelescopically with the tubular portion.